FA Cup second round preview: Millwall vs. Wycombe

FOR the third fixture in a row Neil Harris will be without one of his first-choice defenders through suspension, with Mark Beevers out of this Saturday’s FA Cup second round clash with Wycombe after his red card at Burton.

Byron Webster should return to the side following his one-game ban and could partner Sid Nelson in the centre of defence.

Harris has a choice to make who starts in goal. David Forde made his first appearance since August in the win over AFC Fylde in the last round, but NewsAtDen’s player of the month Jordan Archer could be preferred this time.

Millwall face Southend in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy southern section semi-final on Tuesday night. With Wembley potentially just two rounds away, Harris may be tempted to rest some of his regular first-team players.

As against Fylde he will have to plan without on-loan duo George Saville and Shane Ferguson. Ben Thompson, who this week signed an extension to his contract that will take him up to the summer of 2017, is a possible starter alongside Shaun Williams.

Carlos Edwards may also return after he featured on the bench last Tuesday night.

Harris was unhappy with Millwall’s defending at the Pirelli Stadium. He withdrew Saville at half-time, but stressed that it was the collective defensive organisation he was disappointed with.

“As a team we have to communicate better,” Harris said. “We have to be stronger, we have to have leaders in that defensive box organising where people are going to go.

“It’s hard on George, he’s a young lad and he’s got lots to learn. He’s a good lad and he wants to learn. But senior players have got to take responsibility and organise. I think we were very naïve.”

Wycombe, meanwhile, lost 3-0 to Bristol Rovers in League Two on Tuesday night, but they had won three of their four away games before that setback.

Chairboys boss Gareth Ainsworth, however, expects his players to recover from that disappointment at the Memorial Stadium. He told the club’s website: “I know these boys, they'll pick themselves up quickly and they won't carry this with them. We have a good tie against Millwall in the FA Cup with nothing to lose.

“It's a nice distraction without any pressure. We are going to go to The Den and give a good account of ourselves. We ran them close in the League Cup last year so there's no reason why we can't get through to the third round.”

The draw for the third round will be on BBC2 next Monday at 7PM. Millwall or Wycombe will be ball number 58.